


Better Late Than Never

by Jigglypuff Gay (Mayasato)



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Canon Non-Binary Character, F/M, Nathan being a good mentor and a wonderful human being, Sleepovers, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Solidarity BITCH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 21:26:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13889454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayasato/pseuds/Jigglypuff%20Gay
Summary: Pao-Lin comes to Nathan for some late-night advice about going forward as a hero.





	Better Late Than Never

It was only 10:13 pm when Nathan and Pao-Lin realized that, yes, Karina had definitely fallen asleep thirty minutes into the movie that _she’d_ picked out. Nathan knew from the get-go that she’d only chosen it for the cameo that Tiger and Barnaby (namely, Tiger) had somewhere in the second act, and though they were planning to shoot her a dirty smirk when he appeared on screen, it appeared that not even the temptation of Wild Tiger could keep her from dreamland.

“Should we move her?” Pao-Lin asked, voice a terrible impression of a whisper. And indeed, Karina was slumped over in sort of an awkward position on Nathan’s couch; it would be cruel to leave her there for the whole night.

“Probably,” they responded, “but I’m not carrying her anywhere. I’m too delicate for that sort of thing.”

Pao-Lin nodded in serious understanding. “Don’t worry, I’m strong, I can carry her.” And, as promised, the young hero swept Karina up bridal-style, her chin tucking forward and into Pao-Lin’s chest. The two reminded Nathan for a moment of some sort of warrior knight and sleeping beauty, even when dressed in their baggy pajamas.

Pao-Lin looked at Nathan, eyes shining. “Where to?”

Nathan thought for a moment before leading the way towards their bedroom. Though they were supposed to be having a traditional sleepover tonight, there was no way in hell that Nathan would ever give up the comfort of their memory foam mattress and silk sheets for a sleeping bag.

“Set her down on the bed for now,” they told Pao-Lin when they walked in. “The sofa over there folds out, and I’ll go get an air mattress for you.”

Pao-Lin gently put Karina on the pink sheets. “Oh, no thank you, Fire! I brought my sleeping bag.”

Nathan tutted. “My dear, you realize I’d look like a terrible host if I let you sleep in my home on the floor, in a bag.”

“Isn’t that what a sleepover is supposed to be?” Pao-Lin asked, sitting down cross-legged next to the bed.

They paused. “I suppose I wouldn’t know. This is my first sleepover too, you know.”

Growing up gay and transgender in their hometown didn’t make Nathan very many friends. Going to an all-boys’ boarding school made them even fewer friends, and more than a few tormentors.

“Though, I suppose if you think about it, every night at my old boarding school could have been considered a sleepover,” they mused, mostly to themself.

“I don’t think it’s about technicalities,” Pao-Lin said seriously,” It’s the friends and movies and stuff that really makes it a sleepover.” A frown came to the hero’s face. “I wish Karina was awake. She knows what a sleepover is supposed to look like.”

“Well, since she’s asleep, we get to make our own rules,” Nathan reasoned.

Pao-Lin laughed softly. “I guess.”

Nathan clapped their hands together once, quietly so as not to wake Karina. “Air mattress it is then. No friend of mine is sleeping on the floor.”

As they made their way to the closet with the air mattress, it occurred to them that they might have some hot chocolate in the cupboard. They smiled to themself, the mattress bundled up in their arms. Pao-Lin would enjoy that, they thought.

Five minutes later, Nathan sat on the carpet beside the whirring air mattress, hands full of hot cocoa, while Pao-Lin carried Karina to the foldout sofa bed. They watched Pao-Lin spread the blankets over her and tuck her in gently. Afterwards, the hero stepped back and kind of stared, fingers twitching with an urge to do something with them, eyes soft with some sort of feeling Nathan was cautious to put a name to.

They struggled to keep their sigh internal. It was definitely for the best that the network heads didn’t have access to all the interpersonal drama behind the scenes of HeroTV. This love triangle (maybe a square, or even a pentagon at this point?) between Heroes was getting to soap opera levels of entertaining and heart wrenching.

Nathan cleared their throat to cover up their slip-up, prompting Pao-Lin to turn around, seemingly startled by the noise. They patted the carpet next to them, and Pao-Lin sat down, taking one of the cocoa mugs.

“Thanks,” Pao-Lin said hoarsely. “I, uh…”

Nathan shook their head. “No need to explain.”

“C-can I anyway? I think I need advice.”

Nathan had never considered themself a good advice-giver. “Go ahead.”

Pao-Lin let out a breath of relief. “How do you be yourself so easily?” A steadying of breath. “You know how I am, I’m a tomboy. And I… I think I like girls. But I’m almost eighteen now…”

“And Odysseus wants you to rebrand?” Nathan guessed, and Pao-Lin nodded. It made sense. A legal adult couldn’t go by the name Dragon Kid.

“Natasha’s thinking ‘Dragon Lady,’ or ‘Madame Dragon,” Pao-Lin grumbled into the cocoa. “And it’s just really not me. I’ve been telling Odysseus that it’s not what my fans would want, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough.”

Nathan sighed, thinking of what to say in such a situation. “I became a hero to prove people wrong,” they began. “Being me used to be a lot harder than it is now, and Fire Emblem was a way for me to flaunt my success, even if nobody knew it was me behind the mask.”

“I feel like some people would know it was you,” Pao-Lin pointed out.

Nathan laughed. “Oh, of course. I have a very distinctive charisma. But I’m very lucky in that I’m my own manager. Nobody says ‘no’ to Nathan Seymour anymore.”

“But do you ever get scared people will… think you’re weird?” Pao-Lin fidgeted on the floor, growing more agitated. “Or call you names?”

“Well, people do it plenty, but I’m not scared,” said Nathan. They reached out with one hand. “Pao-Lin,” they started, “It’s not easy for people like us to be who we want to be in this world. When I was younger, I almost gave up so many times, because I thought being who I was wasn’t worth the pain of being treated like that. I was wrong.” They felt a burning at the back of their eyes, and tried to swallow back the tears. “There is no better feeling than being openly proud of who you are.”

By now, tears were openly running down Pao-Lin’s cheeks, and Nathan was finding it increasingly difficult to hold back their own. “What if Odysseus doesn’t let me stay androgynous?” Pao-Lin asked, voice wavering. “Wh-what if my sponsors drop me? What if my fans leave me?”

Nathan grasped the younger hero’s hand tighter, thumb rubbing gently over the skin. “Then Helios will sponsor you,” they whispered fiercely. “And you can share my fans, and my sponsors. Maybe we could even be the new Tiger and Barnaby,” they laughed.

“I want you to have everything I couldn’t when I was your age. I’ll fight for you,” they continued. “And I know the rest of the heroes will too. No matter what happens.”

Pao-Lin gasped in and out, and Nathan soothingly counted out a breathing exercise they used to use during anxiety attacks.

Finally, Pao-Lin smiled, raw emotion showing through. “I think I’m a guy,” he choked out.

“Well, there you have it,” said Nathan. They held out one hand for a high five, and Pao-Lin slapped it with gusto, laughing.

“Would you like to go back out to the living room and talk more?” they asked, referring to the sleeping Karina on the pullout couch.

Pao-Lin shook his head, still trembling with the excitement of the evening. “N-no, I think I’ve had enough soul-baring late night talks for now.”

Nathan laughed. “That’s fair.” They motioned with their arms for a hug, and Pao-Lin leaned into it eagerly, allowing them to stroke his hair while they both breathed in silence.

“I think I’m gonna ask Karina out,” he said after a few minutes, muffled into the fluff of Nathan’s robe. “Once I’m legal, of course.”

Nathan grinned, a few tears still beading at the corners of their eyes. “You have my blessing. Now, how about we get to bed, hm?”

They wasted no time getting into bed, and Nathan found, just like old times, that crying really took it out of someone, and fell asleep in no time. They woke up to the smell of something cooking in their kitchen. Before they could yell at the heathen that was likely misusing their expensive culinary equipment, they remembered the sleepover from the night before. They looked down at the air mattress, where Pao-Lin was still sprawled out and snoring.

“Good morning, Karina,” they said, walking into the room. They winced slightly at the gravel in their voice. Not how they’d present themself to most people, maybe, but Karina could take it. “Did you get enough sleep?”

“Oh, shut up,” Karina pouted. “I was tired, okay? You guys didn’t have to put me on the couch bed and all that. Nice stubble, by the way.”

“Thank you, I grew it myself.” They patted themself on the cheeks lightly. “And don’t blame me, blame Pao-Lin.”

Karina sighed and flipped a pancake. “She’s such a sweetheart, isn’t she?” she marveled. Nathan wasn’t about to out Pao-Lin to anyone, not even Karina, so they kept quiet about the pronouns. “So what did you two do last night after I conked out?”

Nathan laughed. “Honestly, we had an intense late night heart-to-heart about our feelings. We’re not very good at sleepovers without the expert around.”

“Are you kidding?!” she barked out a laugh. “That’s like, _every_ sleepover I’ve had since I was twelve. You watch movies and crap in the evening, and then once the clock strikes midnight everyone’s asking each other if they’ve ever truly experienced love.” She placed a pancake onto a plate next to her. “I once held a sleepover specifically for the purpose of coming out as bi to my friends. There’s something sacred about those late-night talks, you know? Gotta take that info more seriously, somehow.”

“Oh,” was all Nathan could really respond with.

Karina waved her spatula. “So, yeah, I think you two have this sleepover thing down pat. Just wish I could have been around to participate.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “You’re not curious what we talked about?”

“Not my business,” she shrugged. “If Pao-Lin wants me to know, we can do another sleepover, just the two of us.”

“I’ll tell her the offer’s on the table,” said Nathan.

“G’mornnnin,” grumbled Pao-Lin, trudging into the kitchen with a pillow in hand.

“Good morning, Sleeping Dragon,” greeted Karina with a grin. She plopped a plate full of pancakes in front of the sleepy young hero. “Breakfast?”

Pao-Lin suddenly jolted and went wide-eyed with wonder at the food in front of him. “Pancakes!” he exclaimed, clearly still waking up.

Nathan chuckled, observing the fond look on Karina’s face as Pao-Lin picked up a couple pancakes with his hands and bit down voraciously. It was a good day.

**Author's Note:**

> I know Pao-Lin is canonically androgyne, not a trans guy. This is just one interpretation, and not one I'm even very dedicated to, but I hope everyone will show my trans guy Pao-Lin the respect he deserves.  
> The title refers to how some trans people may regret not coming out sooner, or feel like their transness is not legitimate just because they didn't know it sooner. No matter what age or time in your life you decide to come out or transition, your gender and identity is valid and real.  
> This story is dedicated to my little brother and best friend, Nick. I love you so much, my dude. <3


End file.
